How to Fully Dry Nail Polish

By Brandon Getty

You just enjoyed a long, leisurely nail-painting session when you’re called into work abruptly. There’s no time for spouting excuses to the boss — you’ve got to find a way to dry your nail polish, and fast. There are several household techniques you can use to fully dry your professional-looking paint job in a few minutes flat.

Things You'll Need

Hair dryer

Glass of ice water

Polish accelerator

Step into the sunshine for several minutes. The ultraviolet rays will help set your paint just as fast as a UV nail-drying lamp. Avoid windy or dusty areas.

Set your hair dryer to its coolest setting and hold it about six inches from your painted nails. After five minutes, switch hands.

Submerge your painted fingernails into a glass of ice water for three to five minutes. The chilly temperature helps set your coat without smudging it.

Spritz a polish accelerator onto each nail after you finish your top coat. Polish accelerators rapidly increase drying time, so you’ll be out the door in less than five minutes.

Use fast-drying products to avoid waiting around in the future. A base coat, polish and top coat marketed as being fast- or quick-drying usually sets in one to two minutes.